Official documents relating to the dispute between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the shifting of 2011 World Cup from the country have revealed the background drama that took place during which PCB lost the support of co-hosts of the quadrennial event.
According to excerpts of official correspondence between the PCB and ICC, at one point of time PCB chairman Ijaz Butt had even directly accused India of influencing Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to not support Pakistan in the dispute.
The excerpts carried in the Pakistan daily News on Sunday confirmed, after the series of meetings Butt had with ICC president David Morgan and representatives of the other co-hosts -- India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, in London on June 20 the PCB chairman had expressed disappointment.
"We were disappointed and dismayed that despite assurance from Sri Lanka Sports Minister, the Sri Lanka cricket board President did not support us. We were also disappointed that Bangladesh Cricket Board president also did not support us. They were clearly under the influence of India," Butt wrote.
In that particular meeting, Pakistan had tried to convince the ICC play its role in making India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh agree to let Pakistan host its share of matches at neutral venues -- Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Another document shows that the ICC had indeed threatened to take away hosting rights and other benefits from Pakistan if it didn't drop its legal challenge against them.
"The ICC confirmed to us in writing through their lawyer that PCB remained host and was entitled to receive ancillary income as per host agreement. No confirmation was given on Indian Government's permission and visa matters raised by PCB," Butt said according to the document.
"In this communique ICC conveyed to Pakistan that if the dispute continues it may well lead to the termination of the host agreement and PCB would lost the host fees and other revenues," the document read.
Another document states that the ICC had also wanted to charge PCB for the legal costs of the dispute but agreed to accept Pakistan's viewpoint that in past there was precedence of the ICC dropping claim for legal costs in any dispute.
There is another document relating to chief executives' report of the CEC meeting in London in June, 2009 in which ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat has made some strong observations about the PCB and its working under Butt.
Lorgat's reaction to Pakistan sending a legal notice to the ICC says, "..this course of action which has wasteful implications and I am also disappointed that we did not receive a sensible approach from the PCB to deal with this matter in mature fashion before resorting to its legal means.
"After all it is legal action between member and the governing board and may have far reaching implications and in my view it is questionable whether this approach is in keeping with our values."
Photograph: Reuters
